Satirical bite

Today’s horror films seem to have lost any sense of biting social commentary. Mainstream horror goes for loud noises, jump scares and mediocre retreads, aiming for nostalgia rather than genuine terror. Madison-based writer/director Adam Schabow aims to, well, reanimate classic horror with the release of his indie “comedy adventure horror” film, The New World Horror.

The film — shot entirely in black-and-white here in Wisconsin — is about eight individuals who struggle to survive an outbreak of a demonic virus straight from hell; right-wing radio hosts have already attacked the film for depicting members of the so called alt-right movement as bloodthirsty zombies. “This is a movie about extremism and how when we are forced to work together we realize people from all walks of life aren’t really that different,” Schabow says. “It’s about the perception versus who someone really is. For instance, we have a Muslim and a racist in the film. As you could guess, there’s a bit of friction between the two.”

But Schabow doesn’t take himself, or the film, too seriously. He adds: “We also have a lesbian knife-throwing priest.”

Steven Renfro, the film’s director of photography and co-producer, says The New World Horror “is better than Police Academy 6.” That’s all anyone can aim for these days.